Palace of Versailles Tickets

With an almost 400-year history behind it, it's safe to say the Palace of Versailles boasts plenty of interesting facts and anecdotes. You'll hear a fair few of them if you decide to join a guided tour, but for now, here are five facts about the Palace of Versailles to get you started:

• Louis XIV rightly gets a lot of credit for the palace, but it actually began as a plush hunting lodge for his father Louis XIII

• The palace was last a royal residence during the French Revolution in 1789, when Louis XVI and family fled to Paris

• The original menagerie at Versailles formed the basis of Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, the second oldest zoo in the world

• The Treaty of Versailles, the agreement which ended World War One, was signed in the palace's Hall of Mirrors

• With 3 million annual visitors, only one historical monument in France is more popular than the Palace of Versailles. Can you guess what it is?

The Palace of Versailles is located 20 km from Paris in the Yvelines city of Versailles. If you're weighing up whether the excursion is worth it, then it's good to know that a train ride out to Versailles takes just an hour via the RER train from central Paris.

The palace is known for being pretty large. Whether you judge it on its 2,300 rooms or the 8.2 km² area of the palace and grounds, it's fair to say King Louis XIV wasn't going for subtle and understated when he completed Château de Versailles.

The only weekday on which the Palace of Versailles is closed to the public is Monday. You can experience the opulence of the famous Château from Tuesday to Sunday. If you'd simply like to stroll around the grounds, the Palace's park is open every day. Typically, the busiest day at the palace is Tuesday and the least busy is Thursday, although there isn't a quiet day.

All things considered, you're best to block out the whole day to make the most of your Palace of Versailles tickets. If you just want to explore the Palace itself, you should leave at least 2-3 hours to see highlights like King Louis XIV's bedroom, the Queen's Apartments, and the stunning Hall of Mirrors.

But when you consider there are also temporary exhibitions, the Trianon Palaces, Marie Antoinette’s private estate, the Grand Canal, the royal stables, and a maze of gardens to enjoy, it really does make sense to spend the whole day in Versailles.

Be sure to wear comfortable clothing as well as good shoes, and bring a fully charged battery so you can take as many photos as you want. Check out the 'Visiting Versailles' guide below for more insider tips on how to make the most of your time.